Engine starting mechanism



March 31 19.

T. E. KITLEY 2 035 ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 17, 1935 Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'I'he object of the invention is to provide an engine starting mechanism comprising an electric motor and means whereby the motor is normally retained disengaged from the engine, but

automatically coupled to the latter in the starting operation, and the shock of starting the engine cushioned at the inception of movement of the latter; to provide a starting mechanism including a pinion for meshing with a gear on the 1U engine, but so arranged that it will be normally retained out of mesh with the gear but moved axially into mesh with the latter when the starting operation begins; and to provide an engine starting mechanism which is of simple form and,

therefore, susceptible of cheap manufacture.

With this object in view, the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a motor vehicle engine, a motor therefor, and operative connections between the motor and the engine to start the latter and embodying the elements of the invention.

' 25 Figure 2 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of the starting motor shaft and pinion and attendant parts, this View omitting the pinion actuating magnet.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken axially through the pinion and its attendant parts.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line indicated on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the starting circuits.

In applying the invention, the starting motor I0 is mounted preferably at one-side of the engine II, so that its shaft 5 parallels the engine crank shaft to permit the pinion 2 engaging the i9 gear I, which is formed as an element of the fly wheel of the engine. The motor shaft is extended a sufficient amount beyond the rear end of the engine I I to permit the application thereto of the hub member I2, which is preferably made of a metal non-magnetic in character, and which is so formed as to shroud the pinion 2, as indicated at I3. The pinion and its hub member float on the motor axle 5 and are axially movable on the latter by reason of the hollow form member 8 5G which is of magnetic material, and which is formed with a reduced end portion I4 with which the hub member l2 is threadedly engaged. The core member 8 is formed with the pair of spiral slots I5 which are spaced 180 apart, and which have a peripheral extension of approximately being formed at such a spiral angle that when they are traversed by the pin I6, which extends dametrically through the shaft 5 at the free end of the latter, the pinion is advanced from a position where it is free of the gear I to a position where it is fully in mesh with the latter.

The hollow core member 8 is closed, as indicated at I'l, and interiorly is provided with a compression spring 3 bearing on the closed end 10 II, and on the extremity of the shaft 5.

The core member 8 is reduced diametrically in the region of the slots I5 and receives on this reduced portion the sleeve 4, which closes the slots I5 at the periphery of the core member, but 15 makes the exterior diameter of the latter uniform throughout its length, so that it may move freely axially in the housing I9, which is formed as a part of the housing 2| enclosing the Winding 'I of a long range electromagnet, current to which is 20 admitted through the binding post 9, and appropriate conductors connected to the latter.

Cap screws 2Ia serve as the mounting means for the housing 20, as well as the housing I9.

The motor is energized from the conventional 25 battery 22, rst through the winding 'I, and then direct from the battery, the multi-polar switch 23 being employed for this purpose and having the contacts 24 and 25, of which the former is electrically connected to one binding post 9 and 30 the latter to the other binding post, which is in turn connected to one of the motor terminals, whose other terminal is grounded to provide for a return to the battery.

In the operation of the invention, when the 35 motor I0 is unenergized, the pinion 2 is withdrawn from engagement with the gear I. Upon operation of the switch 23, it is rst engaged with the contact 24, when current flows to the battery through the winding 'I to the motor, The Wind- 40 ing is of sufcient resistance to cut down the motor current so that the latter runs with a comparatively slow speed. But in this position of the switch, the magnet is energized and exerts an axial pull on the core member 8 against the 45 pressure of the spring 3.

The motor shaft 5, however, rotating at this instant, by the axial movement of the core member 8 and the angular or turning movement of the pin I6, the pinion 2 is moved axially into 50 mesh with the gear I, the pull from the magnet keeping the pin in engagement with one edge of each o-f the slots I5 during this interval. When the core member 8 has advanced to the point Where the pin I6 engages the ends of the slots 55 to the pinion with the result that the crank shaft of the engine II will be rotated. But by this time the switch 23 has been further moved to engage it with the contact 25, so that the magnet will be cut out ofcircuit and the motor thrown direct across the battery, which will cause the motor to rotate at sumcient speed, so that the engine crank shaft will be rotated at the maximum speed that may be imparted by the motor.

After the engine has started, the peripheral speed of the gear I will exceed the peripheral speed that was given it in the starting operation, so that it will react on the pinion 2 and thus drive the pinion in the same direction that it was driven by the shaft 5, but at a. greater an' gular speed. The pinion will thus be caused to rotate with respect to the motor shaft 5 and the pin I6 will be caused to follow the slots I5, but in an opposite direction from that in which the meshing operation was accomplished. The pinion will thus be withdrawn from engagement with the gear I, the spring 3 assisting in this operation. Release of the switch 23 will then result in its returning to its inactive position, in engagement with either the contact 24 or 25, so that the apparatus is in position to repeat the aforesaid operation when desired.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine and a starting motor having its shaft paralleling the engine shaft, the latter being provided with a gear, a pinion slidably mounted on the motor shaft, a core member having a rigid connection with the pinion, a long range magnet surrounding the core member, the latter I5, angular or turning movement willbe imparted.

having spiral slots in which a pinmounted in the motor .shaft engages, an energizing source and a multi-polar switch interposed between the energizing source and the motor, the magnet being serially included between one of the switch contacts and the motor, the other switch contact Abeing in series only with the motor.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine and a starting motor having its shaft paralleling the engine shaft, the latter being provided with a gear, a pinion slidably mounted on the motor shaft, a core member having a rigid connection with the pinion, a long range magnet surrounding the core member, the latter having spiral slots in which a pin mounted in the motor shaft engages, an energizing source and a multipolar switch interposed between the energizing source and the motor, the magnet being serially included between one of the switch contacts and the motor, the other switch contact being in series only with the motor, the core member being closed at one end and provided with a compressible spring bearing on said. closed end and on the end of the motor shaft.

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine and a starting motor having its shaft paralleling the engine shaft, the latter being provided with a gear, a pinion slidably mounted on the motor shaft, a core member having a rigid connection with the pinion, va long range magnet surrounding the core member, the latter having spiral slots in which a pin mounted in the motor shaft engages, an energizing source, and a oontrol switch for connecting the magnet and the motor in circuit with the energizing source.

THOMAS EDWARD KITLEY. 

